Big Brother's ninth series launched last night by welcoming its first ever couple into the house - and already there are wedding bells in the air.

But in the first twist, producers have split up lovers Mario Marconi and Lisa Appleton and will make Mario 'marry' 19-year-old blonde Stephanie McMichael.

Although the nuptials will be fake, housemates will be told they are real.

Mario and Lisa were the first of the 16 contestants to arrive at the house, followed by Stephanie and 20-year-old student Luke Marsden.

Faking it: Stephanie and Mario keep close inside the house in a effort to fulfill the first task

Faking it: Stephanie and Mario keep close inside the house in a effort to fulfill the first task

Look of love: Mario showers his pretend girlfriend with hugs and kisses

The four were immediately called into the Diary Room and told that Mario, 42, and Stephanie, 19, had to act as though they were a couple, while keeping the truth secret from the other housemates.

After being given a few minutes to concoct a story, they were told if any of the others found out, the four of them would face eviction. A mock-up photo of the bogus couple has been placed in the house.

Big Brother sprung an early surprise on the first four contestants to enter the Big Brother house last night, telling real-life couple Mario Marconi and Lisa Appleton they must part ways for a secret task.

Instead, strangers Mario and Girls Aloud reject Stephanie McMichael have to try to convince their fellow housemates they are an item.

The fourth contestant in on the act, suit-wearing Luke Marsden, was told that he must work alongside Lisa to prevent the other housemates from discovering the truth.

Love triangle: Stephanie will step in as Mario's lover in place of his real life girlfriend Lisa

Single girl Stephanie once dated former Big Brother winner Anthony Hutton, who famously got intimate with Makosi on the Channel 4 reality show.

She rates herself as 10 out of 10 for looks and wants to become the most famous contestant ever.

Likening her looks to Angelina Jolie and Britney Spears, she said she gets angry at people who think she has had a boob job.

Wearing a little black dress, the blonde said the most significant moment in her life was her birth.

Lisa, 40, and Sylvester Stallone doppelganger Mario, 42, boasts that he and his girlfriend have sex at least once a day.

Lisa - an ex-body builder turned sales rep - says the most significant event in her life was when Mario, who claims to have slept with more than 200 women, sold a Rolex watch to buy her breast enlargement surgery.

Mario, whose real name is Sean, claims to have bedded over 200 women.

The Italian stallion and his missus entered the house with a wave of cheers from the crowd.

Former child actress Rachel Rice is set to chat her way through the show but will this annoy other housemates?

Former child actress Rachel Rice is set to chat her way through the show but will this annoy other housemates?

Next in was Luke, 20, who said he wants to change the image of the modern student.

He said he likes to wear suits, is not desperate for fame and finds it hard to talk to women because they think he is gay.

Luke confessed he might be bad in bed and referred to the missionary position as the military position.

Luke, who does not believe in swearing and gossiping, entered the house with the crowd booing him - he returned the boos before entering.

He entered the house with a few boos, but held his head up high and said: "Well I didn't have a heart attack."

Self-proclaimed natter queen Rachel Rice, a trainee teacher from Wales, then came into the house looking like she would annoy everyone in the house.

Hot stuff: Sexy Dale Howard should make a few female fans even if he is shallow

Hot stuff: Sexy Dale Howard should make a few female fans even if he is shallow

She told audiences she is proud of her bum and proud to be a curvy girl, having gone from size 16 to a size eight.

The brunette has acted all her life and has starred in a film with Hugh Grant.

The animal-lover from Wales got plenty of cheers from the crowd, leading McCall to comment: "They love her, they're not booing."

Other housemates told her she looked like Demi Moore.

Sixth in was Dale Howard, 21, from Liverpool, who was a former Manchester United youth triallist.

The PE teacher confessed he cannot stand children and will not see them again if he wins Big Brother.

Dale, who was heavily booed, rates himself 10 out of 10 for looks but only four out of 10 for honesty and generosity.

The hot part-time DJ who dreamed of becoming a professional footballer confessed to being shallow and fancying Abbey Clancy which should cause some interesting viewing as house-mate Stephanie looks a little like his crush.

'Trendy': Syliva Barrie takes the stairs to the house she will be residing in

'Trendy': Syliva Barrie takes the stairs to the house she will be residing in

Sylvia Barrie, who endured an African war, entered the house claiming that she was "'well trendy".

The 21year old from south London, fled from Sierra Leone with her family at the age of 11.

She entered the house in a tight purple mini dress but was subject to a few boos.

She says that some people think she is moody but that is their problem and looks set to start a few arguments with her sharp tongue.

She said she hated girls who gave her the "eye" because she was better looking than them.

The practising Christian says religion plays a big part in her life and rates her boobs as her best feature.

Walking into the house she said: "Oh my God!"

Dancing Dennis McHugh will be a force to be reckoned with if anyone decides to argue with him in the house; A blind cross dressing Michael arrived equipped with a walking stick

Dancing Dennis McHugh looked to be either loved or hated as the very camp 24-year-old arrived at his new home.

He proclaimed that he had been dancing since he was three and would bring happiness to the house.

The student from Edinburgh says he wants to be accepted all the time but if somebody wanted to argue with him then it would be great because "it'll be the last argument they ever have".

Dennis stated that the reason he is doing Big Brother is to massage his own ego. Wearing a feather sparkly hat, he literally pranced into the house.

A sultry Alexandra De-Gale wore a baby doll dress but did not receive a great welcome from the crowd who chanted 'who are you'

A sultry Alexandra De-Gale wore a baby doll dress but did not receive a great welcome from the crowd who chanted 'who are you'

The ninth contestant to enter the house was Michael, 33, from Ayrshire and the first blind housemate.

Speaking about his disability Michael, who calls himself Mikey, said he doesn't like to play the blind card.

Michael, who performs stand up comedy wearing women's clothes, lived in Denmark for a year and speaks Danish. He said loud noises would make him want to leave the house.

Using a stick and with the help of an assistant, Michael made his way into the Big Brother house.

Michael told fellow Scot, Dennis, that: "We'll get on fine."

Next in was non-practising Muslim Alexandra from Croydon.

A single mother, she said if she goes on about herself it is because "you're boring."

Crowds booed and chanted: "Who are you?" to Alexandra as she struck poses on the steps of the house.

A self-confessed natural leader, Alexandra said on entering the house: "That was nowhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be".

The mouthy 23-year-old looked distressed as she went into the house.

Ladies man Rex Newmark waves goodbye to his real life and steps into the crazy world of BB with his shiny silver shoes

Ladies man Rex Newmark waves goodbye to his real life and steps into the crazy world of BB with his shiny silver shoes

Eleventh housemate, Rex, 24, from London said he was chucked out of eleven different schools as a youngster.

The Executive Chef described himself as like a magpie: "If it doesn't sparkle I'm not interested."

Rex, who says he is secretly shy, showed no signs of bashfulness as he posed on the steps.

Rex said his job is to be a professional bully.

Mohamed Mohamed opted for a 1970's Shaft like suit to enter the house

Mohamed Mohamed opted for a 1970's Shaft like suit to enter the house

The next housemate, Mohamed Mohamed, 23, from London introduced himself to TV audiences by saying: "Not everybody called Mohamed is a terrorist."

Originally from Somalia before moving to the UK, he said that at school he was called an "illegal immigrant".

Muslim, but not practising, Mohamed confessed to eating pork, drinking and having sex.

Dressed in a 1970s style suit, he patted his Shaft-style afro before going through the doors.

Squealing, as he made his way down the steps, he told housemates he was shaking when he made his introductions.

Gob stopper: Mouthy Rebecca Shiner enters the house as the 13th house mate

Gob stopper: Mouthy Rebecca Shiner enters the house as the 13th house mate

Thirteenth housemate Rebecca, 21, a nursery nurse from Coventry, said she does not think before she speaks.

She confessed to audiences that people think she is like Vicky Pollard and is rubbish with boys, but that she "loves being me".

Rating herself as an eight for intelligence, she recently camped out for 21 hours to watch Take That on their latest tour.

A demur Demi Moore look-a-like single mother Jennifer Clark looked glamorous as she entered the house

A demur Demi Moore look-a-like single mother Jennifer Clark looked glamorous as she entered the house

Fourteenth into the Big Brother house was Darnell, 26, a songwriter from London.

Describing himself to audiences as: "too black for the white kids and too white for the black kids".

Darnell said in a world where people are tall, dark and handsome he is super conscious.

Albino Darnell confessed he used to get into trouble and has been arrested five times.Darnell entered carrying an American football, which he threw into the crowd, and a trophy.

"Self-conscious" Darnell was born in Ipswich but lived for a time in St Louis, USA before moving back to London; but he says he is 100 per cent British.

A cool but self conscious Darnell Swallow casually takes in the crowd as the ex-gang member claims he has never seen Big Brother before

A cool but self conscious Darnell Swallow casually takes in the crowd as the ex-gang member claims he has never seen Big Brother before

Next in was Jennifer, 22, a part-time model and mother from Durham.

She says she feels like she is 40 despite her young age.

The Roman Catholic, who believes she is psychic, has strong opinions on illegal immigrants and meat eaters.

Described as a Cheryl Cole lookalike, Jennifer says she always gets her own way and has a phobia of tomato soup.

The final contestant is cookie-obsessive Kathreya, 30, a massage therapist originally from Thailand.

She confessed that people often think she is taking drugs because she dances so much and is hyper-active, possibly from all the sugar in the cookies she eats.

A very bubbly Kathreya Kasisopa arrives to the house in a bright pink outfit accessorised with some serious bling

A very bubbly Kathreya Kasisopa arrives to the house in a bright pink outfit accessorised with some serious bling

The techno-music-loving Buddhist wore a pink outfit with gold platform shoes which made ascending and descending the stairs difficult.

She says her mouth is her best feature because it never stops smiling.

Presenter Davina McCall described her as a "five foot cookie monster".

In one final twist to the night's events McCall announced that Mario and Stephanie, the pair pretending to other housemates they are a couple, will be told they are to be married live on air.

The faux-couple will not be told by Big Brother that it is, in fact, a sham wedding.